


Sometimes you need to see through the bad

by DeliciouslTootsie



Category: X-Ray & Vav (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Masturbation not graphic but there, Multi, Shipping, Was once married
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2016-02-16
Packaged: 2018-05-21 01:47:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6033568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeliciouslTootsie/pseuds/DeliciouslTootsie





	1. Chapter 1

It was like being born, for the fifth time this year. He would walk outside, take a deep breath of fresh air, this time he wasn't going to stab a security guard, yell at an old lady, or perhaps try to destroy the city. He wanted to stay out of the dank, dreary, lonely prison cell. He wasn't Hannibal Lecter. No matter how much the prison cell reminded him of the movie cell. He closed his eyes and sighed. He was out of the blue jumpsuit he found fashionably atrocious and was back in his normal attire, besides the crown. That was still in Monarch Labs, he would have to get that back soon enough and he would rather go in person. He sighed. He then heard two familiar voices and felt both a surge of anger and a surge of something he had thought vanished in prison.   
"X-Ray and Vav." He muttered to himself and walked further. They didn't notice him. Thank goodness. But- a conversation he had with the man in the green latex came to his mind.   
"I had started to notice changes..."   
At the time he found it odd in what he was telling him. What sorts of changes he had wondered.   
"I noticed that I wasn't like the other kids... I never had a crush on any girls... That I preferred to be alone a lot. Even Vav had crushes on girls but I... I never found any attractive. But I found people like Vav... I found him attractive. But he..! He fell for that nosy reporter ash!" He never thought that X-Ray would ever reveal this. He smirked to himself. The memory brought a small beat in his heart. Why? He himself has never found anyone attractive. So why was he thinking of an 'arch nemesis' in such a way? He shook his head. Perhaps he should put himself back into solitary, get these thoughts out of his head. He walked into monarch labs building. Of course Hilda freaked out he set his bag down and held up both hands.   
"I am here for only a few items. " he said and sighed. He looked down and sighed.   
"Fine, your an asshole but you do need to live... I guess.  
"Hilda said and glared as she let him follow her to his old office. Of course she had replaced a lot with her own gadgets but she had put his stuff Into a corner.   
Ryan sighed. He went over and began to go through the things in the corner. He had two piles. One pile that Hilda could dispose of, then one he himself would keep. Files, useless papers and plans he had once enjoyed and cherished, were now thrown and crumbled up in the away pile. He grumbled. He only chose a few things. His crown, a picture, and just a few little baubles. He put the things in his bag. "Thank you Hilda for letting me get my things. I will be off now." He said and stood up. He knew he made enemies that he would never get to be closer than people who simply avoid him. He could be alone, the three years in Solitary did that to a person. He closed his eyes as he stepped out of Monarch Labs. He bumped shoulders with someone.  
"Oh sorry!" He knew that voice. Did he seriously not remember him?   
"It's fine." He said  
"Mad King?"   
Of course, the British one remembered him.


	2. Chapter 2

He sighed and tried to continue walking past. A hand grabbed him and he narrowed his eyes. He grit his teeth together and sent a smile.  
"Yes, that's me. But I'm no longer a king. I've been dethroned from my own company." He had taken the loss of his company hard. Not for some diabolical plan or anything like that. He had built this company since he was a child. Making little trinkets and selling them. This was his life's work but it was gone now. He gripped the bag tighter.  
"Well it's what you deserve for trying to take over the city, twice." Vav said and narrowed his eyes at the man and crossed his arms.  
"Yeah!" Why X-Ray butted in made him sigh  
"I'm going to try and find a place to live now if you will excuse me." The older male shoved the two younger superheroes out of the way. He continued to walk. The anger that was boiling inside of him was making his face red. When he crossed the corner where their eyes were not looking at him anymore, he gently set the bag down and laid against the wall. He ran a hand through his unkempt hair and closed his eyes. He had no money, no food, no home. He clutched his hair and felt hot wet tears fill the corner of his eyes. He was never good at controlling his emotions. He was angry but wanted to cry. He pushed the feeling back and swallowed the knot in his throat. He gripped his mouth tightly to muffle the whimpers coming from his throat. His cheats was shakily rising and falling in motion with his breathing. He sighed and managed to calm himself down. Those two idiots had simply pushed him over the brink. He picked himself off the ground and grabbed his bag. He began to walk again.  
It was getting to be dark, how long had he been walking? He looked at the buildings. Everything looked the same to him. Dull. Dull dull dull. He sighed. The alleyway would have to do for tonight he guessed. He closed his eyes and sucked up his pride. He stepped into the dark alleyway and sat down. He brought his knees up to his chest. He wrapped his arms around them and buried his head between them.  
"See you later guys!" That raspy voice. That damned Rusty. He grit his teeth together but stayed quiet. He didn't have it in him to fight anyone right now. He gripped his arms tighter his knuckles turning white. He shivered. They refused to give his apparel back to him so here he was in a green T-shirt with jeans and boots. He shivered a bit more.  
"Cold out here isn't it? Must be new to the city." Why was he speaking to him? He sighed.  
"Not really." He answered and looked at the man just to show him who he was. He was annoyed and he could see how quickly the mans expression changed. Rusty didn't leave though.  
"So they finally let you out of the nut house." Why wasn't he leaving?!  
"I'm shocked to see you on the streets though." The king sighed and grit his teeth even more.  
"I lost everything so where else would I go?" He asked and narrowed his eyes. The homeless man shrugged and drank his booze.  
The rest of the night was quiet and sleepless for the dethroned Mad King


	3. Chapter 3

It's been a week. He sat in his leaky, dank, one room apartment. The TV, the bed, couch, stove, fridge all in one room. Then the extremely small bathroom didn't help either. A single stand up shower, a rusted sink and a disgusting toilet. He's cleaned it so many times, scrubbed and scrubbed. The filth keeps coming back. He ended up getting rid of the roach problem along with the few rats and birds that had tangled themselves up in the attic.  
"Maybe I should go back to Georgia." He muttered. His ex wife was there. Along with his child. He left her for this company! He threw whatever he was holding at the wall. Yelling loudly. A bottle of liquor. He usually didn't drink. But it helped numb the pain he was going through. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't go crawling back to that woman. Another man was raising his child anyhow. He sighed and began to pick up he broken glass. He needed to get a job. Working would bring in money at least. He had clean clothes in his bag. He walked over and grabbed the last pair of clean clothes to his name and walked into the bathroom. He left the door open and set the dirty clothes neatly in a pile on the floor with the others. He put the toilet lid bowl down and set the clean ones on top. He stepped into the shower. One good thing about this place was that the water stayed hot for a long time.  
"Ahhh..." He moaned out. The scalding water touching his skin felt wonderful. He closed his eyes and leaned a hand against the wall. His hair stuck to his face and the steam was making him light headed. He enjoyed this feeling. He grabbed the bar of soap he had and began to lather up his body. If he was looking for a job he had to seem like he was lower middle class at least. He let the lather rinse off of him. But he did it again. He felt dirty. He couldn't get clean in this filthy hovel. He sighed, he knew he was clean but he didn't feel it. He looked down and closed his eyes. He set the bar of soap away. He smelled nicer at least. He grabbed his shampoo, not used to this kind of shampoo, he disliked the smell. It smelled cheap. He quickly washed it or of his hair and sighed. The water was cooling down. Exactly how long has he been in the shower? He stepped out and shivered. He grabbed the only towel he had and began to dry himself. He would have to go to the laundry mat soon. He towel dried his hair and patted his skin dry. It was flakey. He had yet to get used to the non expensive brand. He had spoiled himself with minuscule things for so long. He wasn't used to it anymore. He slipped his clothes on and looked at himself in the mirror. He sighed and grabbed his tooth brush and did a quick teeth brush before spitting it out and washing his mouth out with water. He brushed through his damp hair and sighed. He didn't own a blow dryer as of right now.  
"Guess this is as good as it is going to get." He said to himself and left his apartment. He made sure to lock up. Robberies were frequent around this area and he wanted to make sure that the little he had would stay with him. He lived in the twelfth floor of a building without an elevator. At Least he would get his exercise for the day going up and down the stairs. He began his walk down.  
"Jesus Christ." He muttered to himself and leaned against the wall of the first floor. He wasn't used to that kind of walking. He wasn't exactly it of shape but he wasn't used to strenuous exercising either. He pulled himself together and opened the door to go outside. It was a warm, nice day out. Well, he was sure other areas of the city were nice. This was a bad neighbor hood. He walked out and began to go towards the main spot in the city. When he got to where he wanted, the job hunt began.


	4. Chapter 4

Warning slight mention of sex

He went to a good thirty places and filled out applications. He would enjoy having a job than coming back to this wretched apartment. It's been two days since he's filled any out. He closed his eyes and bit his lip. He was about to fall asleep when his phone rang.  
"Hello?" He answered it quickly.  
"Yes this is James Haywood correct?" It was a woman on the other side.  
"Yes ma'am." He said replying to her.  
"Well we have looked over your application and we decided to have you at Starbucks." He felt his heart leap. "How soon can you start working?" She asked from the other end.  
"Whenever you want me to start." His heart was beating and he was so happy.  
"Can you start tomorrow at eight AM?" She asked  
"Yes Ma'am." He said  
"See you then!" She hung up. He was smiling widely. Things were starting to look up. He laid down on the squeaky couch and looked up at the leaky roof. The rent here was twenty dollars a month. Thinking on fast food workers they got paid 7.63 to 10.63 an hour. If he got a normal ten hours a week... He could've paid quiet a bit of money maybe even two hundred for two weeks. He continued to do the math in his head. It was something to pass the time with. He smiled a bit. This was the first small amount of light that he had since he first left he asylum. He sighed out and closed his eyes. Maybe he could upgrade to a better apartment sooner or later. Though, he missed being CEO of his company. Hilda was running it into the ground. Soon enough, she will end up closing it. He sighed and shook his head. No, he couldn't keep thinking of the people that put him away and ruined his whole life's work. He just wanted to help and expand his company. No one understood. He closed his eyes alarm set for six am tomorrow. T may have been only five pm right now but he was tired...  
He had dreams that night. Which was odd for him. When he woke up to the alarm he felt a little rested but not much. He closed his eyes again and grunted waking himself up. He needed to take another shower before going to his first day of work. Thankfully he would be getting a uniform, so he wouldn't have to wear these clothes to work again. He stepped into the shower and closed his eyes. That's when he remembered the dream and he felt an odd feeling he used to get.  
He wasn't one for sexual pleasures, found almost no need for them. It didn't interest him, no one loved him. But what dream did he have. He leaned a hand against the wall and sighed as he gripped himself. He closed his eyes for a second he saw a flash of skin. Tan, stubble, breathless. The persons chest heaved, no breasts. He hasent found a woman attractive since his wife divorced him... He continued to pump himself and when he finally saw the face of the man whom he was having a dream about he painted and grunted his toes curled and his finger nails dig into the wall. He shot open his eyes and cleaned up his mess. He couldn't remember the face. He saw it but wasn't able to comprehend whom it was. He felt as if he knew the man. He sighed coming down from his high. It began to wash his hair letting the soap run over his tingling scalp. The face was in the back of his head. He was still a man with needs, but he always felt guilty afterwards.  
He always knew that there was someone who probably looked like that and he hated to be so intimate with a stranger. He grabbed his bar of soap. His high was finally dwindling to nothing. But when he went to wash his groin he grumbled a bit, still sensitive. He quickly finished washing and let the shower rinse him off, he had not realized that the water that began as almost scalding was beginning to turn to a cold shower. He shuddered and stepped out drying off. He towel dried his hair and wrapped it around his shoulder. He grabbed his toothbrush and began to brush his teeth. He looked at himself in the foggy mirror. He sighed.  
Maybe he could get out of this apartment perhaps go to an apartment... He sighed and moved from there and grabbed his white T-shirt and blue jeans. He tossed the shirt over his head and slipped the jeans on. He for a second forgot deodorant and quickly put some on,he the slipped into his boots and stepped outside of his apartment. Why he lived on the twelveth floor baffled him, he knew very well that apartments closer to the ground were free. Maybe they just didn't like him. A lot of people didn't like him... Perhaps he should start re-using his birth name again. By the fifth floor he was already dying, but he was over halfway there. He continued his trek to the bottom floor. He looked at the time, seven thirty. He sighed. He would be able to make five or ten minutes early and that would be taking his time. He smiled a bit and stepped outside. A bit warmer than yesterday. He was slow with walking through the bad side of town. Thankfully none of these thugs noticed him, and when he got to the good side of the city he glanced at the electric clock that was on one of the buildings. Seven forty-five. He could see Starbucks from here. Was he able to stop for a biscuit with the money he had? His stomach was growling slightly. He debated and agreed it would be a good idea. He stepped into one of the shops getting a cup of coffee and a sausage biscuit. He ate rather quickly and saw that it was seven fifty-five.  
He dusted himself off and downed the rest of his coffee to get anything that may have layered up on his teeth out. He walked into Starbucks and the woman behind he counter gave him a smile. "You must be James."


	5. Chapter 5

He actually disliked the use of his first name but nodded.  
"Yes ma'am." He said and smiled.  
"Oh don't call me that makes me sound like in fifty!" She said and laughed.  
"Just call me Melanie." She said and pointed to her name tag. I nodded.  
"So, your right on time! Well, you came for an interview but we just had two walk outs today so. Let's just get you a uniform and start training you. We still have a good six hours before the college kids and adults wanting sweets come in. Enough time to train you." She said and smiled.  
"Now what size are you?" She asked and came around the counter looking at him. He couldn't help but think of her as a flighty blonde, she had on a bit much make-up and her eyebrows looked recently done. Her nails were manicured and her waist showed that she was barely a size three in jeans. Extra small shirt. But she was nice. His observations lasted only a few seconds.  
"I'm a extra large in males." He said to her. With a smile on the side. She smiled and nodded going into the door behind the counter and came out with a green apron and a white shirt with the Starbucks logo on it.  
"Here you go! You can change in the bathroom." She said and motioned him to the restroom. He stepped into the restroom and looked at himself. He was a bit shocked. He was hired without an interview. This was perfect. It was going well for him. He smiled and stripped himself besides his pants. He slipped into the attire and tied the apron on around his waist. He could help but think he looked kind of attractive in barista attire. He stepped out and he swore he saw the girl blush. He smiled a bit, still had charm at thirty five it seems. He smiled a bit and she motioned him behind the counter.  
"Well, the register is easy. So someone tells you what they want. Let's say someone wants a mocha with two squirts of vanilla bean with whipped cream and chocolate on top. It's easy. You click on mocha." She clicked on what she said. "Then you click on the flavour they want. And it asked how many squirts. It goes up to ten. If they want more you have to charge them again. " she clicked on two. "Then it asked for whipped cream or not you just click yes and then it shows extra and you go to that and it goes to show caramel chocolate white chocolate. So on and so forth they want chocolate so there you go! We have regulars here often so they will know a new face when they see it. They may go easy on you. But not everyone." She said and smiled. "So you need to try and be fast. Right now it's only me and you working so, here is your interview. You do good all day today and your hired on the spot." She said and smiled. "Oh your first customer!" She clapped happily. "It's a close friend of mine." She said and smiled. "Hey Ash!" She said happily.  
He felt his heart drop. Ash. Of course, he expected her to take in this type of stuff. He sent a smile to her.  
"This is James! He's our new barista!" Melanie said to ash with a smile putting one hand on his right shoulder and around him and one on his left. "Be easy on him!" She said happily  
"Ash!" He heard another familiar voice and watched as the blue spandex clad boy ran in and put his red gloved hands on the girls waist.  
"Jut getting a coffee Vav." She said and chuckled. "You want something?" She asked  
"Sure!" Vav said and looked at the Barista. The Brit didn't notice him. Thought he could feel his heart pounding.  
"I will take a white chocolate Mocha with whipped cream hot please. And white chocolate on top please!" The girl had a smile that could melt hearts. It drove him mad. He looked down and began to type in Ash's order. Simple enough. These people ruined his life and he had to serve them. But he kept his smirk as to look nice for the people.  
"And I'll have just a black coffee." Of course the Brit would take something he couldn't handle. Probably just wanting to seem cool for his Lady. He looked up and smiled. "That will be seven eighty-two." He said. Ash held out her card and smiled. He took it and swiped it handing it back to her.  
"Here you go Ash-y! And here you go Vav! " Melanie said and smiled to her two friends and handed the coffee to them. The couple took their coffees and began to drink. Of course he could see the Brit scrunch his face up at the bitter taste. It made him happy on the inside he couldn't help it.  
"Those two are so cute. But wait another friend of mine will come through. He always lags behind them can't help but feel bad for the guy." Melanie said. Almost as soon as she said that a familiar face walked in.  
"Hey Mel." Ryan could feel his heart beat faster. No, this was the guy he had been thinking about? "You?!" Sure not he notices him.  
"Oh you know James X-Ray?" Melanie asked and tilted her head.  
"Yeah. I know him. Never thought he would be a Barista though." Ryan sighed and looked down. Of course he wouldn't. No one would.


	6. Chapter 6

Of course X-Ray knew him! "Anyway," he said. "Can I have a Caramel coffee with no whipped cream and chocolate squirts?" He asked. He watched the mad King type in the order.  
"Five sixty." He awnsered. Ray was actually in normal attire today. He had pretty much given up on fighting with Vav since they've defeated the king. He was always with Ash. When Ray was handing the money he brushed hands with the king. Well, James now. He could have swore he saw the older mans face brush with red. He shook it off as anger.  
"Here you go!" Melanie said and set the drink next to Ray on the counter.  
"Thanks Mel... You still joining me and the couple this Friday?" He asked and smiled to his friend  
"You know it! You know James you should join us!"  
Ray felt a slight anger boil inside him. The mad King?! Join them on their night out?! He wanted to laugh in Melanie's face and say: "Hell no is he joining us!" But he knew better and well, the guy was wanting to start a new life. Maybe he should just leave him be. Let him start his new life. But if he was close with Mel, he would end up having to talk with him to.  
"I don't have any money-"  
"Oh posh! All were doing is going out to a nice field starting a camp fire and drinking a few beers! No money required!"  
Of course- Melanie was always like this. Too nice for her own good. Maybe if he did come he could tease the man. Mel ended up always leaving first because her boyfriend would get annoyed at her drinking with a single guy like himself. He scoffed in his head, oh if only that man simply knew how he felt.  
"S...sure I guess." Ryan said with what looks like to be a forced smile. Why Ray could tell it was forced he didn't know. Perhaps he was just being nice to his boss.  
"Good! I will come pick you up around seven! I have to pick Ray up too! So no issue there!" She said and smiled happily  
"Well I'm going to let you two get back to work." Ray said and grabbed is coffee and took a nice big drink. He enjoyed the feeling of the scalding liquid slowly going down his throat as he walked out. It lingered in his chest, kind of like another pain he had. He stepped outside to see his "partner" and his girlfriend making out against the wall. He felt the pain in his chest come back and turned away from the couple and began to walk home. When he wasn't visible, when he turned the corner he felt anger boil over and he threw his coffee into the street. Hot tears burned in his eyes. Why? Why did he feel this way. "Vav is my closest friend... Why do I feel that way for him?" He asked himself. He felt the tears roll down his cheeks. He managed to get ahold of himself when he heard a voice. "What?" Ray hissed


	7. Chapter 7

Ryan was able to go on a ten. Showing him everything had take. An hour and with talking to the superheroes and ash, that taken a bit so he walked out the back to take a smoke. But when he went to the back he was met with a X-Ray in tears. He stared for a moment. He decided it would be best to not pester the younger male. He sat down at a table and placed an ankle on his knee. He lit the cigarette and took a drag.  
"Why are you here?" He sighed and looked at the boy.  
"I'm on my break. I gained this habit while living in my apartment. Relieves stress." He said and as he spoke smoke came from both his nose and corners of his mouth. "Why do you care? " he knew the question wouldn't be answered.  
"I don't." He smirked a bit and sighed. "You still haven't gotten over him have you?" He asked. "Your still in love with that man."  
"I thought you would have forgotten about that."  
"Nope, I remember a lot of things. But why?"  
"Why do you remember a lot of things?"  
"No idiot!" Ryan had to let his temper cool. "No, why do you still love him?" He asked  
X-Ray smirked. Still had a temper about him it seemed. "I don't know." His smirk faded from his lips and he gulped. "I don't know."  
Ryan moved over and let the boy sit beside him. "Well, he is your best friend. Correct?" He got a nod in response. "Well, perhaps that is where your mixing it up. You want more but Vav is... As you can tell strait." He put the fag out and sighed.  
"I know he is... But, I was content with being close as could be without a relationship when he wasn't dating ash... That's when it got hard!" He said and gulped. "Now he's engaged to her. I'm too late. I never once told him."  
Ryan felt bad for the boy. He gulped a bit and reached his hand out rubbing his nodded back. "Engaged huh? Let me guess, best man?" Ryan asked  
"Of course I am... I have to have the utmost support for him no matter what. " Ryan sighed at the answer Ray gave him.  
"It's going to hurt but you don't want to lose him as a friend... I know that. But soon enough you'll get over it." He said quietly still rubbing his back  
"I have five months to get over it. The wedding date is exactly five months from now. May eighteenth." He said quietly.  
Ryan sighed. He didn't know what to tell the boy. "I'm divorced, my ex has already remarried. My son, hates me." He said and sighed a bit. "He seems to love you enough." He said and sighed.  
X-Ray looked at him. "You have a son?" He asked.  
"Yeah. I don't want to give away his secret identity though." He joked and smiled. He missed his son. "I lost visitation rights when I went to jail. Can't help but miss him..." He loved his family and he may have still had feelings for Lucy... But- she was already remarried.  
"I'm sorry." The words took the king by surprise.  
"Excuse me?"  
"I'm sorry your divorced and can't see your kid." He smiled a bit to the hero.  
"Thanks."


End file.
